With Love From Japan: DIY Frozen Herbariums - Remodelista
Described by the Oxford Dictionary as a receptacle for keeping dried plants, a herbarium that is frozen is surely the best kind. Photography by Sayuki Ueno. Whether they are arranged in a simple or complicated way, they are part of an attitude to ice which is refreshingly cheerful—and which is taken to the next level at Hokkaido’s snow and ice festivals in the depths of winter. A fantasy of fern and dried hydrangea. Frozen artworks become bird feeders with the aid of donut molds and twine. Shown here: rosehips, favored by hiyodori birds, native to Japan. As the ice melts in sunshine, their contents become available for birds to eat. Whether donut-shaped or herbarium-shaped, any kind of botanical design is enchanting. Cornus twigs and sprigs of conifer are shown with dried hydrangea, teasel and panicum grass, as well as asparagus berries. Fresh as a daisy and ready to be frozen. Boiled water is better at keeping its clarity, although rapidly dropping temperatures can cause some cloudiness. “The combinations are endless. I want to expand the way to enjoy plants in the snow country,” says Mrs Ueno. “The only way to enjoy winter is to keep your favorite plants in your heart.”